Chloramines are in many more water supplies now. There continues to be confusion about them and their relation to chlorine. Unless you have well water, please read this article - which includes recent updates - to learn more. Chloramine may be affecting you now or in the future.
A growing number of municipalities in the US now add ammonia to the water supply to change chlorine to chloramine. One reason is studies suggesting chlorine is carcinogenic, although municipalities don't mention that much. The EPA told water suppliers to reduce the amount of trihalomethanes (chlorination byproducts) in the water supply, but did not mandate chloramines. Chloramines reduce, but do not eliminate trihalomethanes, and they generate other byproducts.
The other reason to use chloramine instead of chlorine is that it lasts longer because it doesn't dissipate or break down. However that means that by definition chloramine is harder to remove than chlorine, and to take it out requires more filter material.
Chloramine is formed by adding ammonia to the water in addition to chlorine.
If you have municipally-supplied water - that is you get your supply treated by someone else - you have either chlorine or chloramine in your water. You need to know which in order to get the right filtration.
If you don't know - just ask them.
If your municipality is not adding ammonia to your water - there is no point in your getting a chloramine filter.
Chloramine can increase the amount of lead in the water, especially - but not limited to - if it runs through lead pipes.
4/8/2013 UPDATE
A recent report out of the White House reports that over a half a million children in the US are thought to have lead poisoning. This is twice prior estimates.
friendsofwater.com suggests that this just may be connected to the fact that more and more municipalities now are using chloramine disinfectants.
Research published in 2007 by Dr. Michael Plewa indicated that the disinfection byproducts (DBPs) created from the use of chloramine are much more toxic than the DBPs of chlorine. These new nitrogen-containing DBPs are not regulated by the EPA. Yet, this chemical is now in the water in many US municipalities.
There are many reports of health problems from chloramines. It is suggested that anyone with chemical sensitivities will react badly to chloramines. The EPA says that there have been no studies done to determine the risks to epidermis, respiratory, digestive or epidemiologic systems of chloramine in water supplies, and that there are inadequate cancer studies on animals or humans. There also appear to be no allergy tests. But those individuals with extreme rashes, breathing and liver problems know the answer already. Below are health problems experienced by many from exposure to chloramines:
